Twenty-nine-year-old James Shaw Jr. has been identified as the “hero” who wrestled a rifle away from alleged Waffle House gunman Travis Reinking.
Reinking allegedly opened fire in an Antioch, Tennessee, Waffle House Sunday at 3:25 a.m. while wearing nothing but a green jacket. A number of people were injured in the attack and four persons were killed.
The attack ended when Shaw Jr. took away the rifle Reinking was allegedly using in the attack.
Daily Mail reports that Shaw Jr. “was grazed by a bullet and treated for a minor gunshot wound on his elbow.” He also “severely burned” his hands when grabbing the hot barrel of the rifle.
Shaw Jr. was treated at the hospital and released.
When described as a “hero” Shaw Jr. demurred, saying he was just looking for a means of escape. He told the Tennessean, “I don’t really know when everyone said that (of being a hero), it feels selfish. I was just trying to get myself out. I saw the opportunity and pretty much took it.”
Shaw Jr. said he timed his efforts on Reinking’s need to reload, watching for the moment when he could pounce. He said, “When he came in, I distinctively remember thinking that he is going to have to work for this kill. I had a chance to stop him and thankfully I stopped him.”
He added, “I grabbed the gun and kept it down. He had one hand on it. I pulled it away and threw it over the bar.”
Shaw Jr. said he went home after the incident and went to church with his family.
AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News, the host of the Breitbart podcast Bullets with AWR Hawkins, and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. Sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.
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